New season: New potatoes

New potatoes for me always mark the beginning of the new season . There seems to be something quite luxurious about them €` a delicacy like the first asparagus or a bottle of Beaujolais. But this is a delicacy that can be easily grown at home and without a great deal of fuss. So set to, don`t delay. Preparation Now we`re not going to venture into the cold, wet, muddy garden €` we`re going to be dry, warm and smug and grow new potatoes in pots in a cold greenhouse. Potatoes are available in most nursery catalogues and hardware stores €` yes that`s where I find mine! But, before you plant, you need to chit up.

This is a process that is easy to do and gets them off to a proper start. Place the tubers in a tray pointing upwards €` leave in a cool, dry greenhouse or on a windowsill. Once the shoots have started to appear and look sturdy (about 1 cm long) then they are ready.

To Plant Firstly find a sturdy, plastic container no smaller than either 30 cm wide or 30 cm deep. Use a good garden soil with plenty of homemade compost worked in or a good potting compost. Put 12 cm of soil in the bottom of the pot €` place 2 chitted potatoes on top, spaced evenly, with the majority of shoots pointing uppermost and cover with another 10 cm of soil. Water and leave to grow. When the shoots are 15 cm high, add another 10 cm of soil and repeat until the shoots are within 5 cm of the brim €` this allows your potato plants to grow up through the soil so they are encouraged to produce plenty of new tubers. Remember to check the compost €` you don`t want it to dry out and you also don`t want it to become waterlogged €` the compost should just remain damp.

When to Harvest As a rough guide, the plants usually take between 100 and 110 days to produce small, but perfectly formed potatoes. Another indicator that the potatoes are ready is when the plants produce flowers.  Before diving in, carefully have a little explore first to find out what`s going on. If happy and hungry, tip the potatoes out and reap the rewards of your hard work! Growing potatoes this way in a greenhouse ensures a really early crop when pots in shops are at their most expensive.

If you haven`t got a greenhouse or a veg plot, potatoes are still great to grow in a container, but, to avoid frost damage, wait a little longer to plant.

Last year, wherever